Forming machine



May 30, 1961 e. H. APPEL 2,986,051

FORMING MACHINE Original Filed Aug. 17, 1954 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 VENTOR.

GERHA H. APPEL ATTORNEYS M y 30, 19 1 G. H. APPEL FORMING MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Original Filed Aug. 17, 1954 In. aenia' 1 Ge rhea oi 1-]. Qp oe Z I 3% 3 24W May 30, 1961 G. H. APPEL FORMING MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Original Filed Aug. 17, 1954 [n Mania 2" Ger/Zara? HQ peZ Jfliewi gym AW y 1961 G. H. APPEL 2,986,051

FORMING MACHINE Original Filed Aug. 17, 1954 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Q 22 22, I i 34 34 United States Patent FORMING MACHINE Gerhard H. Appel, Belle River, Ontario, Canada, assignor to Appel Process, Ltd., Oshawa, Ontario, Canada Continuation of application Ser. No. 450500 Aug. 17, 1954. This application Ma s, 1958, $81.:N0: 732,866

11 Claims. (Cl. 78-21) The present invention pertains to machines for the shaping of metal by cold forming.

This application is a continuation of my prior application Ser. No. 450,500, filed August 17, 1954, now abandoned, which is a continuation-in-part of a still earlier application Ser. No. 271,466, filed February 24, 1952, also, by now, abandoned.

For a better understanding of the invention, reference may be made to the accompanying drawings, in which an embodiment or machine of the invention is disclosed.

In these drawings:

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic exploded end view or the machine.

Fig. 2 is an end view with certain parts removed.

Figs. 3-4 are section views as if on lines 3-3, 4-4, respectively of Fig. 2.

Figs. 5-7 are stop motion views of certain parts.

Fig. 8 is a section view of a roller part of the machine.

General procedure I piece by die movers, forcing the metal to assume a con-"' figuration precisely mating with the working faces-of the dies. As the piece is shaped, it is progressively fed endwise, and emerges from the dies in finished condition.

The machine hereof is such that the force 'of the die movers acting on the dies is confined to lines of action whose mean paths are radial of the work, to preclude; tangential distortion and aberration in it as well as injury to the die moving mechanism.

General machine organization The machine at one end has a large, drumcasing 11 55 which houses a die cage and die moving mechanism.

A workpiece 17 projects into the open central throat T of a die cage-18 centered in the drum housing 11.

The die cage 18 is a set of individually movable dies- 22,--four of them in this instance, which receive the workpiece as it is moved endwise into the throat T of the die cage. A corresponding set of four die movers 23 engages these dies simultaneously moving them in-.

ward against the work. The finished work emerges from an opening in the outer end of the drum housing 11 The dies 22 are of rectangular cross-section and more or less block-like form. They are each guided in a manner such that any movement they have can be only in a direction precisely radial of the axis of the throat.

Thenoses or inner ends of the dies 22 areof a con figuration corresponding to that which is desired fora. In the present infinished outer surface on the work.

Patented May 30, 1961" stance, where the work piece is round, each die nose 34 is shown as being generally sector-shaped so that Whenthe dies are fully projected toward the work their sector-' shaped faces, taken together, complete or constitute a substantially continuous circular throat. A clearance of the order of A or of an inch is left between adjacent dies. With such a small clearance no extension of metal between the dies is encountered. Substantially full circumferential' embrace of the workpiece is thus made possible. By means such as that described below, the dies 22 are yieldably urged at all times into their fully contracted positions about the work. With such an arrangement, taken together with the form of dies described, the result is that the dies remain in continuous contact with the work throughoutall of the time that it is being formed and despite the progressive reduction in diameter which takes place.

Die moving mechanism 22 moving them inward. With a speed of several hundred strokes per minute for the die movers. (for example, 800 per minute), the work is rapidly and smoothly reduced to shape as it passes through the die throat.- The number of strokes per minute depends on the hardness and ductility of the metal, a greater speed being usable with softer metals. The amount of deformation and rate of feed are also factors. On the present machine, speeds of 400 to 2,000 strokes per minute have been used and 'still greater variations are possible. To form a lost-motion connection between each die, 22 and its corresponding die mover 23, each of the latter, has a central bore 41 terminating in a counterborey42, andin which'is slidablyreceived a headed die 2 2aud a; spring 44.. On the working or inward strokesiof the die movers 23, the springs 44 are compresseduntil the die movers engage the dies 22. On-the outward or re turn strokes of the die movers, thesprings 44distend-, retaining'the dies in firm gripping engagement with the work,'and separation takes place between the die moversi and the dies. 7 v l D ie mover actuating mechanism 1 Since the actuating mechanism for each of'the x fouri die movers 23 is the same, an explanation of one will suflice for all. The outer end of the die mover has fixed toit a first cam block 46. The active outer face' of this -1 cam block 46 is concave. Opposed'to the cam block! is a second similarly concaved cam block 48 of the same shape and which is rigidly backed as at 89 by-backing'r, V

. wedges 8'9, and backing blocks 89a and fixed structure 1.; 'Interposed between these first and second cam blocks; 46, 48 are intermediate or central cam blocks 49, 5 0 which are sideby side and positioned oppositely of the dieaxis and which constitute a pair of transversely and simultaneously r'eciprocable drivers. Drivers 49, 50-have their. opposite faces similarly concaved and consistof three sections or blocks (Fig. 4) the two outer sections; 49 being rigidly joined to constitute one driver means and the middle section 50 constituting the other means. The ,motionsof the two driver means -(tran.

versely of the'die and die mover axis) arephasedso as to be exactly out of phase with respect to ea other. 7 I i Interposed between the drivers 49, 50 and respe uvq ones of the other cam blocks 46, 48 are two identical J somewhat less than the radius of curvature of the faces or jaws of the cam blocks which receive them. Each roller (Fig. 8) comprises three separate sections arranged end-to-end'. Thus, the roller 51 has three sections58, 54, 55. An axial bore 56 in the center section 54 has flared ends, and axial bores 57, 58 in the outer sections 53,55 are flared toward their inner ends. Spacers-'59 with flared, central sleeves 60 staked in them are interposed'between the roller sections. Accordingly, the two outer sections 53, 55 of each roller are afforded a limited transaxial movement with respect to the associated central sections 54. Limber coil springs (not shown) may be threaded through the bores to retain the roller sections assembled upon removal from the machine.

Operation Reciprocation of the die movers 23 results from reciprocation of the drivers 49, 50.

' In Fig. 5 one of the mechanisms is shown in an intermediate position whereby the die mover is fully retracted. At that instant the drivers 49, 50 are exactly in register, and the sets of rollers 51, 52 are seated in the deepest parts of the registering concaved faces of the several cam blocks 46, 49', 50, 48.

From that intermediate position the drivers 49, 50 move simultaneously outward in opposite directions to an extreme position. For example, the driver 49 may move rightward and the other driver 50 leftward to the extreme position of Fig. 6. In that instant the die mover 23 has been projected through its full stroke. Such movement of the die mover results from the drivers 49 and.

50,acting through rollers 51, 52, forcing apart the cam blocks 46, 48.

On the return strokes of the drivers the parts first return to the intermediate position of Fig. 5. Continued motion of the driver 49 leftward of such position, and of the driver 50 rightward of such position, again projects the die movers to an extreme position (Fig. 7). Thus die mover 23 executes two full working strokes for each reciprocation of the drivers 49, 50.

i The transverse reciprocatory motion of the means 49, 50 required for such operation is imparted by suitable driver rods. The central driver 50 is formed as the end of a driver rod 63 (Fig. 4) extending to one side of it, and the two drivers 49, 49 forming driver means 49, are formed as ends of two driver rods 64 extending oppositely. Rods 64, 64 are rigidly joined at 65 to move in unison.

Each driver rod is, at its outer ends, connected to an eccentric or crank. Thus, each single driver rod 63 has an eccentric 66 and each pair of rods 64 has a pair of'ec'centrics 67.

The eccentrics 66, 67 are rigid with appropriate ones of aseries' of four crankshafts 68 journaled at equally.

spaced intervals in the drum housing 11. With the layout shown the drivers 49, 50in each die mover mechanism are connected to the crankshafts 68 lying at opposite sides of'the same, and conversely,- each crankshaft is connected to drivers of die mover" mechanisms lying on each side of it. The number of crankshafts 68 equals the number of die mover mechanisms, being alternated with the'same about the central axis of the layoutto afior complete symmetry of location.

electric motor 69 having a pinion 79 meshing with a bull gear 81 journalled coaxial with the workpiece. throat T and meshing with pinions 82 on shafts 68 drives these crank shafts 68 in unison.

An important feature is the elimination of all side thrust or forces. Each driver means imparts to the die mover not only a thrust axially of the die mover, but also a lateral or side thrust. In theparlance of the machine designer; thethrust applied by a driver means can be resolved into two components, one being along theflihe' ofdiinover travel and the other at right angles to it.

In the present mechanism, however, because there are two opposed and oppositely and simultaneously moving driver means for each die mover, all of those side thrust components are precisely balanced against each other, so that they are canceled out, and their net or ultimate effect becomes zero.

The importance of so limiting the lines of action of the forces finally applied to the die movers 23 and dies 22 manifests itself in several-ways. Side thrust, it permitted to exist, results in excessive wear on the die mover and die guides and in heavy vibration and shuddering of the machine.

.'(Moreover, the quality of the work itself is impaired. The workpiece metal fails to flow uniformly about both sides of a mandrel rib, and the work surface is likely to be scaled and of undesirable physical structure. Such effects are overcome with the present arrangement, yielding better machine life and a superior quality of work.

Another, and quite different, aspect of balancing is also to be observed. The forces generated in such a machine as that here contemplated are likely to be very large. In a test on the presently disclosed machine, with the die movers operating at 800 strokes per minute, strain gauges showed forces of 60,000 pounds in each of the four die movers 23 at each blow. Withhigher speeds forces up to 165,000 pounds have been measured by such gauges. Self-destruction of the machine becomes, in such work, a real hazard. Simply designing framework of a.

sufiicient rigidity and strength runs into enormous weights and sizes of parts. The solution embodied in the present machine is, again, a balancing of forces. They are made to reduce each other to harmless proportions.

It is with such an end in view that the die movers 23 and dies 22 are arranged in opposition to eachother.

Two opposed pairs, giving a total of four, satisfies that requirement. Likewise, the symmetrical layout of the crankshaft 68 and driver rods 63, 64 accomplishes a sub stantial degree of balancing. As a crankshaft 68 is thrusting the driver 49 at one side of it in one direction, it is thrusting the driver 50 at the other side in an opposite direction.

Now having described the machine herein disclosed reference should be had to the claims which follow.

I claim:

11. Means having at least three opposed driven members arranged on equally spaced radial axes around and transverse to a central axis and guided for movement along such radial axes towards and away from such central axis; and including at least three pairs of drivers, one pair for each 'driven member, each pair comprising two alinedoppositely and simultaneously movable driversarranged on and guided for opposite movement on a driver axis transverse of the radial axis of movement of the associated driven member; with both drivers moving simultaneously towards, or both moving simultaneously away from the radial axis, and with the at least three pairs of drivers moving identically and simultaneously;

, and at least three separate means interconnecting and actuating the at least three pairs of drivers, with each of 0 such means being arranged to interconnect and actuate two adjacent drivers of two different pairs and thus to actuatetwo different driven members; each of said driven members and each pair of drivers having cooperating formations of such a nature and so arranged thatthe transverse movements of these two drivers apply 0pposed, equal and simultaneous transverse force components and an inwardly directed radial force resultant to the'associateddriven member; with the parts being furdies having their inner ends formed as die faces and dimensioned to girdle substantially completely and form a workpiece inside the die throat defined by the inner ends or die faces of the dies.

3. Means according to claim 1 wherein the several pairs of drivers are the ends of push-pull reciprocating driver rods relatively transversely arranged to intersect and thus form a multi-sided cage of the several pairs of driver rods around the members, and further including as the means for interconnecting and actuating each pair of drivers, a rotary shaft and eccentric means interconnecting two driver rods of two diiferent pairs where they intersect.

4. Means according to claim 1 in which one driver of a pair is bifurcated to receive between its bifurcated portions the other driver of that pair.

5. Means according to claim 3 wherein each eccentric shaft has eccentrics which operate two relatively transverse driver rods of two different pairs.

6. Means having at least three opposed driven members arranged on equally spaced radial axes around and transverse to a central axis and guided to move along such radial axes towards and away from such central axis; and including at least three pairs of driver rods, one pair for each member, each pair comprising two alined oppositely and simultaneously reciprocating pushpull driver rods for moving the associated driven member radially towards the central axis, said driver rods for each member being arranged on and guided for opposite reciprocating movement on a driver axis transverse of the radial axis of movement of the associated driven member; with both driver rods moving simultaneously towards or both moving simultaneously away from the radial axis, and with the at least three pairs of driver rods reciprocating identically and simultaeously; cooperating formations interconnecting the two driver rods of each pair and the associated driven member so constructed that the oppositely moving driver rods impart a resultant force component from them onto said member along its radial axis of movement, and without any net transverse component of force, with the transverse components of force of the driver rods balancing themselves out as the driver rods reciprocate oppositely and simultaneously along their driver axis; the at least three pairs of driver rods being relatively transverse and intersecting to form a multi-sided cage of driver rods around the members and the central axis, and including at least three rotary shafts and eccentrics interconnecting the at least three pairs of driver rods where they intersect; all the driver rods being in substantially the same plane, and each eccentric shaft having eccentrics which operate two relatively transverse driver rods of two different pairs.

7. Means according to claim 6 wherein the driven members are formed as dies for forming a workpiece, the dies having their inner ends formed as die faces and dimensioned to girdle substantially completely and form a workpiece inside the die throat defined by the inner ends or die faces of the dies.

8. Means according to claim 6 in which an end of one driver rod of a pair is bifurcated to receive between its bifurcated end portions the other driver rod of that pair.

9. Means comprising a driven member guided for movement along a driven member axis, two aligned opposed drivers simultaneously and oppositely movable in alignment along a driver axis transverse to said driven member axis; means for moving said drivers simultaneously and oppositely in alignment along the driver axis; cooperating formations interconnecting the two drivers and the driven member and arranged for causing each of the moving drivers, simultaneously with the other, to engage and apply a force to the driven member and thus to move the driven member along the member axis under the simultaneous influence of and the combined forces of both oppositely movable drivers; the forces imparted by the two drivers to the driven member being so applied that they resolve into a resultant along the member axis having no net transverse components of force from the drivers, and with all transverse components of each force being balanced out by opposite and equal transverse components of the other force due to the movement of the drivers simultaneously and oppositely and in alignment along the driver axis whereby transverse forces on the driven member are reduced to zero; and wherein each driver is a double acting concave cam facing the member, with a roller between each cam and the member, whereby movement of the two drivers of a pair oppositely and simultaneously will cam bias the member along its axis under the force of both cams simultaneously.

10. Means comprising a driven member guided for movement along a driven member axis, two aligned opposed drivers simultaneously and oppositely movable in alignment along a driver axis transverse to said driven member axis; means for moving said drivers simultaneously and oppositely in alignment along the driver axis, cooperating formations interconnecting the two drivers and the driven member and arranged for causing each of the moving drivers, simultaneously with the other, to engage and apply a force to the driven member and thus to move the driven member along the member axis under the simultaneous influence of and the combined forces of both oppositely movable drivers; the forces imparted by the two drivers to the driven member being so applied that they resolve into a resultant along the member axis having no net transverse components to force from the drivers, and with all transverse components of each force being balanced out by opposite and equal transverse components of the other force due to the movement of the drivers simultaneously and oppositely and in alignment along the driver axis whereby transverse forces on the driven member are reduced to zero; and wherein one driver of a pair is bifurcated to receive the other driver of the pair between its bifurcated portions.

11. Means comprising a driven member guided for movement along a driven member axis, two aligned opposed drivers simultaneously movable to and from each other in alignment along a driver axis transverse to said driven member axis; each having a portion overlying the end of said driven member; means for so moving said drivers rapidly and repeatedly; a formation on each of said port-ions for engaging the end of said driven member frictionally and simultaneously to apply a force to the driven member to move it along its axis, whereby the combined forces of both oppositely movable drivers act to eliminate any force on said driven member transverse to said end along the driver axis.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 234,931 Thompson Nov. 30, 1880 276,177 Harty Apr. 24, 1883 330,262 Richardson Nov. 10, 1885 1,841,920 Smith Jan. 19, 1932 2,562,643 Saxer July 31, 195.1 2,562,644 Saxer July 31, 1951 2,569,707 Cardell Oct. 2, 1951 2,589,096 Landergren Mar. 11, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS 264,144 Great Britain Jan. 17, 1929 506,138 Germany Aug. 29, 1930 622,750 Germany Dec. 5, 1935 

